By Naman Ramachandran
K-Movie Entertainment is at the Cannes Film Market with a focused Indonesian action slate, led by “Pendekar: Warrior” starring Iko Uwais and an Indonesian-language remake of the Korean hit “The Man From Nowhere” with Joe Taslim attached to star.
The films are being produced by Asia Media Alliance Group, Nation Pictures, Yeti Entertainment and Red Packet Media, with K-Movie handling international sales. The companies describe the slate as a concerted effort to bring Indonesian genre filmmaking back to the center of the global action market.
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“Pendekar: Warrior” is directed by John Radel ACS, a producer, cinematographer and filmmaker whose career spans large-scale international productions and regional genre projects. The film also features emerging Indonesian talent Ali Fikri. Additional casting is expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
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“Asia has always produced some of the world’s most exciting action cinema,” Radel said. “What we are building now is a slate with the scale, discipline and creative ambition to take Indonesian and Southeast Asian action back to the international marketplace in a serious way. These are Asian stories, with Asian stars, designed for audiences everywhere.”
The Indonesian adaptation of “The Man From Nowhere” reunites Taslim with director Tanigaki Kenji, the pairing having previously worked together on “The Furious.” The producers describe the original Korean film as a modern classic, citing its emotional force and redemption arc as central to the story they are bringing into an Indonesian setting.
Nation Pictures was founded by Delon Tio, whose career includes early involvement with filmmakers Kimo Stamboel and Timo Tjahjanto. “Indonesia has the talent, the audience, the locations, and the action culture to become a major force in international genre filmmaking,” Tio said.
Newly formed Yeti Entertainment, launched by Erika North and Nick North and operating across Hollywood, Asia and Europe, joins Asia Media Alliance Group and Nation Pictures on the production side. “We have a long-held belief in the creative and commercial potential of Indonesian and Southeast Asian genre movies,” North said. “Embarking on ‘Pendekar’ and ‘Man From Nowhere’ back-to-back is a demonstration of that commitment, and we are excited to deliver breakout, crowd-pleasing experiences for audiences worldwide.”
Red Packet Media, the Hong Kong-based company co-founded by producer Mike Leeder, brings deep international action market relationships to the slate. Leeder’s credits across action cinema include “Fearless,” “The Raid 2,” “Man of Tai Chi” and “Triple Threat.” “The world knows what Indonesian action can do when it is done properly,” Leeder said. “The goal now is to take that energy, that physicality, and that authenticity, and build films that feel bigger, sharper, and ready for global buyers.”
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